Hi everyone (with a special hello to all my fellow Aussies)

My date for lap-banding is set for 23 April 2009. Will have the band inserted at the The Avenue in Melbourne.

I am excited and scared all the same time. The success of many on this site inspire me and the prospect of future success is very exciting. Past failed attempts at maintaining weight loss haunt me (I've lost weight then put it back on [plus more] more times than I care to remember).

Would love to hear from others of you that felt the same way at the start of your journeys and who have succeeded.

My partner is having a lap-band inserted on 9 April. We both have fatty livers and have therefore been advised to do the Optislim VLCD liquid diet (with veggies allowed) commencing two weeks before insertion of the band (next week for her and on 9 April for me).

Any advice on surviving this would be greatly appreciated. Also, advice on whether it would be a good idea for me to try and support her by doing shakes maybe for brekkie and the evening meal two weeks before I really need to would be great.

Looking forward to sharing the journey with you all!

For my friends in the US who don't think in kgs

Edited March 14, 200917 yr by PharmaGirl
updating ticker

Hey guys,

Well, Hungry Jacks (which, for our American friends, is what Burger King is called in Australia) won out last night over the French restaurant. Here's a pic of Lisa enjoying it!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/60515-albums2577-picture14131.html

Does she look as happy as a pig in mud or what?

Had my first vanilla shake this morning - is it me or does this stuff smell like Play-doh?

Ah yes, a very happy lady!

Yes, Lili, the vanilla is, well, foul. chocolate is a little better, but my favourite was definitely the strawberry - tastes like "fake" strawberry, but good fake strawberry!

Best of luck with it! Won't be long and that train will be chugging along that track!

I hope I'm running down that track and that train starts chugging soon!!

I keep on wandering out to the kitchen and then remembering I can't eat!!

Yeah, I know what you mean! I remember my first few days I was constantly thinking "I'll just stop at _______ and grab a _______" then remembering I couldn't! To be honest I was appalled to realise how many times a day I thought about food! But trust me, you will soon get used to it, and will be feeling full with just your shakes.

Good luck!

T xox

Hey guys,

Sare, we haven't heard from you for ages. How are you going - you eating mushies yet? how are they tasting?

I gotta tell you I don't know how I am going to survive this liquid phase till surgery. I have a shocker of a headache and am as grumpy as all get out. I'm seriously jonesin' for food I'm not allowed to eat. Please tell me when I'm going to start to feel better???!!!

Like Tamara, this has made me realise how much time I spent each day thinking about (and eating!) food.

I have not cheated at all so far. My aim for now is just to make it through today without cheating too.

Hi, Tamara, Sare, and Lili! I haven't been online for awhile. It's good to know that you all seem to be doing fairly well, despite a few bumps in the road. TamTam, I cannot believe you have lost 10kg already! I had to look that up to see how much that was in pounds and I was astonished -- 22 lbs. in two weeks? Or was that three? Either way, that is amazing! Congratulations!

Veal, I hope you will check in and let us know how you are! :w00t:

Lili, I thought Hungry Jacks would have been pancake place, because we have a pancake mix in the U.S. called Hungry Jack. Good for you for starting the Optifast early. I just tried a shake myself today for the first time, but I tried unjury vanilla. Yeah, smelled like play-doh. Not so hot. Looking forward to the chocolate flavor. And this company sells chicken Soup flavor also, which I'm hoping is decent. My pre-op diet has to be SlimFast for some reason. Each doctor is so different!

I've gone to all the appointments I was required to attend, but I'm still waiting to get all my letters in from all those people. Then the surgeon's office will send the "evidence" to the insurance company for review. I'm hoping it won't take long for approval. In the meantime, I've made a ticker. Thanks for your help with that, Lili. Oh! BTW, Lili, I can't see the picture you posted for some reason.

Take care, gals. I wish you all well!

Hi Hi!

Just thought I'd post a response and say hi and offer support to all those who are going in for surgery soon

I just got out of hospital two days ago and although i'm sore, and a little gassy - I feel lighter already! lol

I did Dr MacLeods program 3 weeks before surgery and lost 11 kgs. My Surgeon told me the day after surgery that he was really impressed with my effort and my liver looked nice and firm (yay!) He was also able to use a smaller band than originally planned - I felt like I'd just been given an A+ when he said that

I'm struggling to drink enough Water, or actually enough of anything because I currently have no appetite, but I am working on it :w00t:

I hope you're all having a super duper day today!

Lots of support and positive vibes from Brissy :cool2:

C

Hey Ann and hey Kiwi,

Ann, hope all your paperwork comes through quickly so that we'll all be banded around the same time. You may not have been able to see the photo as I have our photos only visible to friends - I have sent you a request to be a friend. You should then be able to see it.

Kiwi, congrats on being banded. Have sent you an invite to be a friend too. I can't believe how much weight you too are losing - 11kg (for our friends in the US that is 24lbs) in 3 weeks!!

I totally agree with Ann that it is fantastic to hear that you guys that have been banded (Sare, Tam and Kiwi) are doing so well.

Gotta go take some Tylenol for this headache! Lisa is laughing on the phone with a friend who is celebrating their birthday - I'm so grumpy that I think I might go yell at her for a little while (She was all grumpy before and I'm not going to let her be all chirpy now when I'm feeling so crap - as you can see, I'm the sharing type (he he he)!!

Hey, Pharmagirl

Sorry I haven't replied to much this week - I've been gearing up to start a new temping job. 8 months unemployed and NOW I find something. When i could use some more healing time :smile2: (I'm not really complaining, I'm just excited)

Mushies yes, they taste good. Have eaten a few semi solid things - now I want my first fill - even though I can feel the band and it has an effect, I can still eat more than I wish too.

That wound that has been trouble? Is the one above my port and is a little infected - went to the clinic and saw a very nice gp there who is stuffing me full of antibiotics - just in case.

Pharmagirl - I can imagine your headaches - maybe try drinking more water? That always helped me? I also found that if I could get through 3 days of (any diet really) optifast, I started feeling much better on the fourth.

Good luck with getting your approval Spideymom! Soon you will be banded and we can rule the world :w00t:

Hi girls!

Hope you've all had a good day. Hope the headaches aren't giving you too much curry, Lili. I'm with Sare - if you can just get through these first few days you will be feeling so much better! (And think of the weight loss... the weight loss...)

Good luck with the new job Sare - a whole new start for you! Yay!!!

Thanks for your congratulations Ann! I'm feeling pretty proud of myself! I went and shouted myself some jewellery, and my first ever set of acrylic nails - I'm gonna be a glamour mum! He he he...

Welcome to our little group, Kiwi. I'm in Bris Vegas too. Who did your surgery? Sounds like you are doing really well! Congratulations!

Anyway, must keep going and get this house in order before my big bad husband comes home. Ha ha ha!

T xox

Hello, ladies! Wanted to post quickly before I head off for a busy weekend.

Kiwi, hello! Congrats on losing 11 kgs! That is amazing. I just hope once I get banded I can do as well as you gals.

Lili, I loved the photos! You made me hungry for Burger King today. haha I tried a different Protein drink today (Muscle Milk) and although it didn't taste too bad, it gave me a terrible stomachache and headache immediately after drinking. Perhaps there is something in some of these drinks that can cause headaches?

Sare, congratulations on the job and on the healing process. I'm sure those antibiotics will have you well in no time.

TamTam, Good for you going out and buying jewelry and having your nails done! I was thinking the same thing! I've never done acrylic nails either. I did just buy myself a new ring at a silver party last week, and it came in the mail yesterday. I call it my promise ring -- a promise to myself to really work this plan and get healthy!

Happy weekend to you all! :crying:

Hi everyone,

Hope you all had a great weekend. For those who are transitioning from liquids to solids after surgery - hope its all going great guns. Kiwi - you on mushies yet?

You were all right. The headache finally resolved and I think I am now over the worst part of sugar withdrawal. I'm actually feeling pretty good and am pretty certain that I've lost almost a kg (2#). I'm totally rapt that this is the first time in many years that I've lasted more than half a day on a diet - it is much easier knowing that the finish line is in sight and after the next few weeks, I won't ever have to torture myself with this terrible hunger again.

I actually can't wait for weigh-in on Thursday (never thought I'd be saying that!!)

Sare was right about the chicken Optifast. It is good if you need something savoury. Thanks for the advice. Also, congratulations on the new job.

Tam, great idea on the treating yourself. I've decided that every 5kg, I'll shout myself a foot massage (or neck and shoulders) at one of those Thai or Chinese massage places.

Hi girls,

Good on you Lili. Told you you'd feel better in a few days! And you won't keep starving either - it will keep you full enough before long. And congratulations on your first bit of (a whole lot of!) weight loss! I think for me, too, knowing that it was for a limited time made sticking to it a whole lot easier.

All going great guns here - still dropping some weight during this transition phase, which they don't necessarily expect you to do, and enjoying having some "real" food! Tiny bits admittedly, and still all minces, etc, but an improvement from liquid! And I really do feel well and truly full between "meals".

One concern at the moment is that I have started having what I believe is the referred shoulder pain again. I had it really bad for the first few days post-surgery, but it's been fine since then, and now I'm raiding the medicine cabinet for arse-kicking painkillers! But I see my surgeon for my first post-op visit on Wednesday, so will check about it then.

Anyway, keep going girls. We'll all be hotties before long!

Hey Tamara,

I can't believe I'm not going to be starving! Lets hope you're right about that too.

Great to hear that you're doing well and still losing weight. I'm jealous that you're eating real food (albeit minced or in very tiny pieces).

The referred shoulder (and sometimes people get referred neck pain too) is apparently due to gas that is difficult to expel. Apparently walking helps get rid of the gas. If it is really bad you could try some Degas or Infacol wind drops and see if they work any better than the pain relievers. They are very inert products (just have simethicone in them) and are therefore very safe. Or maybe try some peppermint or spearmint tea.

As for being hotties - we're all already gorgeous - now we just want the outside to reflect our inside!

As for being hotties - we're all already gorgeous - now we just want the outside to reflect our inside!

AMEN! :eek:

Glad to hear you're all doing so well. Congrats on all the weight loss TamTam and Lili! :smile:

I bought two small cases of Slim Fast this weekend, in prep for when I have to go on the pre-op diet (whenever that will be). Tastes okay -- like a creamy chocolate milk. Don't know how I'll feel about drinking 6 of them a day and nothing else. How did you all manage? I guess we must keep thinking about that light at the end of the tunnel!

Tamara, I had also heard that sometimes that referred shoulder pain comes from acid reflux. Are you having any of that? If so, talk to your surgeon about it. Apparently it is extremely common after banding. That really dismayed me because I have had GERD for 15 years now, and I was hoping that the LB would help get rid of that problem!!

Have a great day everyone! Chins up and look at the sun -- it's shining for all of us!

Cheers! :thumbup: